The Seattle Parks Department says the park and two other Capitol Hill green spaces — Broadway Hill Park and Tashkent Park — underwent “enhanced sitewide clean-up” including “power-washing of all surfaces, mulch refresh of landscaped areas, graffiti removal, mowing, weeding, edging, litter removal, replacement of trash and recycling receptacles” for the reopening.
Seven Hills also got a good trimming and clean-up after being fenced-off since September. The parks department says the lawn has been re-seeded and new “natural features” have been installed.
CHS reported here as parks officials briefed Seven Hills neighbors earlier this month on the plans to reopen the 16th Ave park following its closure in September due to what the city called “bouts of negative park activity.” Neighbors told officials including District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth the park had been neglected and that encampments and street disorder were an ongoing public safety issue.
The result was a closure of the park and the installation of the fences — and then a series of public meetings to try to sort out what to do next.
The parks department is also putting more elbow grease into small improvements. In January, CHS reported as’s Hollingsworth announced a public safety “facelift” for Boylston Ave’s Tashkent Park highlighted by new strings of catenary lights and promises of improved maintenance.
The reopening and planning for a more structured approach to managing the spaces comes as cities face increased litigation over parks, safety, and encampments. Last year, an Arizona court ruled that the City of Tucson could be held liable for failing to abate an encampment in a park, opening the door for residents to file claims for property damage or costs like installing security cameras.
In Seattle, there aren’t significant examples, yet, of neighbors heading to court over encampments but the city’s parks know legal battles well including the current court fight over the future of the Denny Blaine nude beach.
Another new parks initiative for Capitol Hill’s public space earned a few woofs when it was unveiled at the community meeting but parks officials appear to be ready to doggedly pursue their plan for “human & hound fitness installations” in Seven Hills and other Capitol Hill parks to create a circuit of low-cost, low-maintenance workout stations.
Dog-human workout installations — as illustrated by this concept art featuring the CHS News Hound — are coming (Image: CHS)
A 3.1-mile “Healthy Capitol Hill Hike” campaign with signage and printed maps is part of the plan as are hopes for more events and gatherings organized by community groups and parters like neighborhood Business Improvement Areas like the 15th Ave BIA.
The human and dog workout circuit is hoped to link Broadway Hill Park, Cal Anderson Park, McGilvra Place, Seven Hills Park, Summit Slope Park, Tashkent Park, Thomas St. Mini Park, T.T. Minor Playground, and Williams Place, officials say, once the installations are completed.
In the meantime, the parks department is looking for ideas from people who want to hold small events in the reopened Seven Hills or the rest of Capitol Hill’s parks including “holding a concert, holding a class, hosting a movie night, organizing an outdoor market,” or joining a volunteer clean up.
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